year or not. But, at present, the Com- | an instance where that had been done. mittee was in a state of complete mysti- It might often suit the financial arrangefication; and unless the right hon. and ments of the War Office to do that; for learned Gentleman would condescend to if a purchasing officer were tried, they explain what were his duties, they could might set aside the verdict, and so cononly assume that he was in a state of fiscate his money. He should take a mystification himself regarding them. Division, unless a satisfactory reply were given.

SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT observed, that he had taken no part in that debate, because it seemed to him a great many of the questions raised might more properly be discussed in Committee on the Army Discipline and Regulation Bill. They could not, in Committee of Supply, alter the functions of the Judge Advocate General. He was not at all pre

thing, in many respects, to alter the Office, as he understood the Judge Advocate General was not really a Judge at all; but he was an assessor to the military authorities, advising them upon the legality of any transactions which might have taken place at courts martial. Of course, that decision was not binding, any more than a decision of any assessor would be binding. The Judge Advocate General stood to the War Office, in fact, exactly in the same position that the Law Officers of the Crown did to Her Majesty's Government. They were generally guided by their opinion, and they would incur a very great responsibility if they departed from that advice; yet, if they chose, they were at liberty to do so. In the same way, the military authorities were at liberty to pass over the advice of the Judge Ad

MR. CAVENDISH BENTINCK thought that the hon. Member who had spoken last (Mr. Callan) could not have been in his place during the whole of the discussion, or he would have heard the explanation that he had asked for, given at least three or four times, to the Committee. The principal duties of the Office which he had the honour to hold were to act as a Court of Review over all the district and general courts mar-pared to say that it would not be a good tial that were held elsewhere than in India; and he had, besides, to advise Her Majesty as to the confirmation of the findings of all general courts martial held on officers or soldiers. These were responsible duties in the highest degree. He had also to advise upon the construction of the Mutiny Act as far as related to criminal matters. The jurisdiction in matters arising out of the Mutiny Act not criminal belonged to the authorities at the War Office. It was also his duty to peruse the proceedings of every general and district court martial which came before him. In that work he was assisted by a deputy, who was a civilian, and by three other able officers. Two of those were not appointed by himself. One of them distinguished himself greatly by his knowledge of the subject before the Committee last year; and the third, and last ap-vocate General. He did think at one pointed, was not only a Colonel in the Army, but he was also a barrister. That was, surely, a good guarantee that the duties of this Office were properly discharged. The hon. Member for Meath (Mr. Parnell) had remarked that he gained his Office as a reward for obstruction, and he could only reply that when the hon. Member could say that he had obtained an Office of that quality, as a reward for his Parliamentary services, he should be very glad to see the day.

time that the law should be altered, and that the decision of the Judge Advocate General should be binding; but he withdrew that opinion, in consequence of the argument, which he thought an admirable one, that to do so would be to destroy the responsibility of the military authorities. At present, if they took any course which was unjustifiable, the House could call them to account; but if they could shelter themselves behind the decision of the Judge Advocate General, and could say they MAJOR O'BEIRNE pointed out had no power to over-rule his decision, that while the right hon. and gallant then the highest military authorities Gentleman opposite (Colonel Stanley) would be able to impose this authority had said that the Commander-in-Chief of the Judge Advocate General between never overruled the decision of the themselves and the country. With reJudge Advocate General, the hon. Mem-gard to the Vote, he had not heard anyber for Burnley (Mr. Rylands) had given body suggest that the duties of the Office

MAJOR O'BEIRNE desired to withdraw his opposition, now that the pro-pared with last year. There was an per explanation had been given them of the duties of the Office, although he had had to wait a very considerable time for the explanation.

was

DR. LUSH hoped that the right hon. | cient, but that the men had ample time and gallant Gentleman, in view of the to perform their military duties. difficulty of providing properly-qualified COLONEL STANLEY said, he did not medical officers for the Army, would understand that the noble Lord intended carefully consider the whole subject. to advise this change, but only to ask Even at the present time, when we were for the Correspondence on the matter engaged in a war of considerable dimen- between the authorities at home and in sions, the number of surgeons who joined India, and to request that he should the Army in the year was absolutely less endeavour to hasten the printing and than it was last year; while, at the same publication of the Correspondence on the time, the increase in the allowances had subject. He had already verbally asgone up from £11,000 to £19,000. He sured his noble Friend that he would do could only suppose that that arose from so. The Correspondence, a short time calling in the aid of civilians. It seemed ago, was sent to India for certain obserto him that this was the proper time to vations, and he would have inquiries press upon the right hon. and gallant made about it. Then he was asked, Gentleman that he should consider the with great justice, as to the provision for position of the medical officers in the the sick at the Cape. All he could say Army, in order to induce a more free was that though, undoubtedly, there enlistment. He was well aware that was a certain amount of sickness, for the there was a strong indisposition to climate there, itself, was very bad-the enter Her Majesty's Service, and he heat during the day being great, and earnestly trusted the right hon. and the cold by night great, which gallant Gentleman would do his best to always followed by a certain amount of provide properly-educated men for the climatic fever-still, from all he could. Service. hear, that fever was by no means severe, and, from the last Report, the percentage of sick was something approaching 5.76, which would be low even for this country. He gave the figures, however, with great caution, because they had to be corrected. But the inference to be drawn from them certainly was that the amount of sickness was by no means excessive. With regard to the wounded, there were, comparatively speaking, but a small number of them, and for various reasons there would most likely be a large number brought to the station hospitals. He was informed, however, that the hospital accommodation was far in excess of anything contemplated short of two or three general actions of very large dimensions. With regard to want of medical comforts, so far from that being the case, he was able to say, having a very large correspondence, both public and private, with officers at various parts of the field, that in only one case had he heard of any deficiency named, and that was one which would be remedied. On the Lower Tugela an extra allowance of quinine had been given out, and an apprehension existed that the supplies would run short, in consequence. The last Report he had received, however, stated that the hospitals were fully equipped, and expressly made no demand whatever for any further medical comforts, or for any addition to the

MR. ONSLOW begged to state that he was nine months with a British regiment in Calcutta, and he never once heard either an officer or non-commissioned officer express a wish that the time of the meals should be changed. If they were altered to the evening instead of the middle of the day, how was it possible for the British soldier to get any exercise? Parades, after a late meal, were utterly impossible, and anybody who had any experience of India must know that it would be highly injurious for the British soldier to take violent exercise so soon after the dinner hour. It must be recollected that in the hot season, the evening was the only time during which out-door amusements could be prosecuted. He hoped his right hon. and gallant Friend would not accept the suggestion of the noble Lord, which he believed would be very detrimental to the Army in India.

LORD ELCHO replied, that the hon. Member had spoken on a matter of which he could have no knowledge as there had apparently been no trial of the change of system in the regiment to which he had referred. His (Lord Elcho's) statement rested on the experience of a General Officer who did make a change, and found, as a result, not only that the sick list greatly diminished, and that the regiments were more effi

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Staff. That must be received as evidence | were taken to send out supplies by the of very considerable weight, and he saw mail boats, as fast as was possible. no reason to apprehend that the hospital would be of interest to the Committee arrangements would be found insuffi- that they should know exactly the numcient for the requirements of the Ser- ber of men on the spot. At the present vice. He hoped the Committee would moment, in the Medical Department allow him to point out in how very dif- proper, there were 58 officers at the ficult and delicate a position he was Cape, 7 on the passage, and 13 under placed. On the one hand, no demands orders. Of the Naval Medical Departhad been made for further aid; and, on ment-present, 4; on passage, 2. Sethe other hand, he was extremely averse veral surgeons, exclusive of those emto stand forward, either officially or other- ployed locally-38 present and 2 on wise, between a very natural, kind-hearted passage. Army Hospital Corps, 8 preand spontaneous desire in the country sent and 1 on passage. Non-commisto render aid. Nobody, of course, was sioned officers, 275 present and 108 on so well off but that they could afford to passage. He might add that within the be better off; and, no doubt, from this last few days, though no demand had feeling, people were anxious to do all that been made upon him, he had thought lay in their power, in the hope of giving it advisable to place under orders 1 lady some assistance and of rendering some re- superintendent and 6 nurses attached to lief, although there was no positive want. the hospital at home, which was in adHis hon. and gallant Friend near him dition to any medical aid afforded by (Colonel Loyd Lindsay), the Chairman private enterprize in the Cape. He beof the National Aid Society, had been lieved that no Army in the field had good enough to inform him that he had ever had its medical wants so far met sent out a credit of a considerable amount in proportion to its strength; and he felt to an officer of experience, who was one sure the Committee would have confiof the Commissariat in Africa, and had dence that if any further medical deexerted himself in similar ways in other mands were made they would be met countries; that that officer had drawn to the best of their power. With regard upon the fund to a very small amount to the Medical Department, he was indeed; and the purposes for which he sorry to say that, even at this period of had drawn upon it had been to provide the year, he was not able to speak with comforts which some people would call entire certainty. These matters of reluxurious, such as tobacco, and things vising the conditions of service were of that sort, for the men. That all always matters of considerable delay; seemed to him to point to the fact that, but, speaking generally, he might say at the present time, the medical wants that, provided he could obtain the assent were fairly supplied, and even more than of his right hon. Friend the Chancellor fairly supplied. He could not say that of the Exchequer, and of his hon. Friend at some particular places on the line of the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, march, or out of it, that there were not it was his intention, as far as possible, some cases of need. They did not ex- to carry out the recommendations made pect to find a whole chemist's shop in the by the Committee appointed by his PreHighlands. The difficulty had simply, decessor, as to the pay and the status of therefore, been one of transport; and, the medical officers. It was, for obvious as far as he could understand, wherever reasons, not very expedient to deal with it was possible hospitals had been es- details at that moment; and he did not tablished and medical comforts had been apprehend that it was entirely a matter provided, which had proved fully suffi- upon which it would be wise to lay down cient. If he were aware of anything to abstract principles. But there was one the contrary, by accident or otherwise, point which had given him and those it would be his duty at once to make it who acted with him, and for whose asknown to the House. At the present sistance he was deeply obliged, very contime, however, he believed that that was siderable difficulty. That was a recomnot at all so. Although a considerable mendation which he feared had given quantity of stores went down in the rise to a good deal of misapprehension steamship Clyde, and were lost, yet im--that certain medical bodies should mediately that was known in this country, have the power of nominating candiand without waiting for transport, steps dates for the medical service. VOL. CCXLVI. [THIRD SERIES.]

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